# Improvised Explosive Device Safe Stand-Off Distances **Citation:** ERG 2024, Improvised Explosive Device Safe Stand-Off Distances **Type / status:** guidance / guidance **Agency:** U.S. DOT / Transport Canada / SICT **Effective:** Not stated **Published:** 2024-04-04 Official ERG2024 improvised explosive device safe stand-off distances guidance, pages 369-370. ## Document text High Explosives (TNT Equivalent) Briefcase/Suitcase 23 kg 50 lbs 46 m 150 ft 47 - 563 m 151 - 1,849 ft 564+ m 1,850+ ft Car 227 kg 500 lbs 98 m 320 ft 99 - 579 m 321 - 1,899 ft 580+ m 1,900+ ft SUV/Van 454 kg 1,000 lbs 122 m 400 ft 123 - 731 m 401 - 2,399 ft 732+ m 2,400+ ft Small Delivery Truck 1,814 kg 4,000 lbs 195 m 640 ft 196 - 1,158 m 641 - 3,799 ft 1,159+ m 3,800+ ft Container/Water Truck 4,536 kg 10,000 lbs 263 m 860 ft 264 - 1,554 m 861 - 5,099 ft 1,555+ m 5,100+ ft Semi-Trailer 27,216 kg 60,000 lbs 475 m 1,570 ft 476 - 2,834 m 1,571 - 9,299 ft 2,835+ m 9,300+ ft Based on the maximum amount of material that could reasonably fit into a container or vehicle. Variations possible. Governed by the ability of an unreinforced building to withstand severe damage or collapse. Governed by the greater of fragment throw distance or glass breakage/falling glass hazard distance. These distances can be reduced for personnel wearing ballistic protection. Note that the pipe bomb, suicide bomb, and briefcase/suitcase bomb are assumed to have a fragmentation characteristic that requires greater stand-off distances than an equal amount of explosives in a vehicle. Page 367 1 2 3 Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Improvised Explosive Device (IED) SAFE STAND-OFF DISTANCE SAFE STAND-OFF DISTANCE Threat Description Shelter-in-Place Zone Explosives Capacity1 Mandatory Evacuation Distance2 Preferred Evacuation Distance3 Pipe Bomb 2.3 kg 5 lbs 21 m 70 ft 22 - 365 m 71 - 1,199 ft 366+ m 1,200+ ft Suicide Bomber 9 kg 20 lbs 34 m 110 ft 35 - 518 m 111 - 1,699 ft 519+ m 1,700+ ft Page 368 1 2 3 4 Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Improvised Explosive Device (IED) SAFE STAND-OFF DISTANCE SAFE STAND-OFF DISTANCE LPG Mass / Volume1 Threat Description Fireball Diameter2 Safe Distance3, 4 Small LPG Tank 9 kg / 19 L 20 lbs / 5 gal 12 m 40 ft 48 m 160 ft LPG - Butane or Propane Large LPG Tank 45 kg / 95 L 100 lbs / 25 gal 21 m 69 ft 84 m 276 ft Commercial/Residential LPG Tank 907 kg / 1,893 L 2,000 lbs / 500 gal 56 m 184 ft 224 m 736 ft Small LPG Truck 3,630 kg / 7,570 L 8,000 lbs / 2,000 gal 89 m 292 ft 356 m 1,168 ft Semitanker LPG 18,144 kg / 37,850 L 40,000 lbs / 10,000 gal 152 m 499 ft 608 m 1,996 ft Based on the maximum amount of LPG that could reasonably fit into a container or vehicle. Variations possible. Assuming efficient mixing of the flammable gas with ambient air. Determined by U.S. firefighting practices wherein safe distances are approximately 4 times the flame height. This table is for a loaded LPG tank with explosives on the exterior. Note that an LPG tank filled with high explosives would require a significantly greater stand-off distance than if it were filled with LPG. ## Provenance - Official: Yes - Source: - Source ID: `phmsa-erg-2024` - SHA-256: `ec68221fc8d269bf1b68cd5b04672f0e8310b4359cf4aac96febe25f0db449f6` - Retrieved: 2026-08-13T11:31:32.574Z - Exported: 2026-08-23T04:33:14.060Z - Document slug: `phmsa-erg-2024-ied` ### Source metadata ```json { "edition": 2024, "language": "English", "jurisdiction": "US", "caveat": "Emergency-response guidance for the initial phase of a transportation incident. It is not controlling regulation, a compliance determination, a chemical-specific worker safety document, or a substitute for required shipping-paper emergency-response information.", "materialSubtype": "phmsa_erg_reference", "recordKind": "reference", "collectionId": "phmsa-erg-2024-overview", "parentDocumentId": "phmsa-erg-2024-overview", "sourceDateLabel": "Effective Date", "sourceDate": "2024-04-04", "startPage": 369, "endPage": 370, "physicalPageCount": 2 } ```